BLACK METAL News!

~ KRIEG Commence Work On 'Final' Album ~

New Jersey-based black metallers KRIEG have commenced work on their "final" full-length album, "Blue Miasma". The initial recordings were completed at Winterblut Studio in Germany, while vocals and bass will be added this weekend by Marcus Kolar (SARCOPHAGUS, FOREST OF IMPALED) at Studio One in Racine, Wisconsin, followed by final mixing and editing later this month. Azentrius (NACHTMYSTIUM) will also add some additonal vocals and guitar work. The album will be released on CD through No Colours, with the vinyl version set to surface through Darkland.

"Blue Miasma" is the longest KRIEG work - with a running time of about one hour - and continues to explore different moods and atmopsheres that were begun with 2004's "The Black House".

In other news, "Sono il Scherno", KRIEG's unreleased second full-length album recorded in 1998 will see release in its intended form and structure through Battle Kommand Records early summer. Adversary Prod., the new label of Laurent (formerly of Warspirit Rex), will release a cassette compilation of KRIEG vinyl recordings. Demoniac Evangelism Records will release an Icelandic cassette version of "The Black House" and "Patrick Bateman", with the instrumental bonus track "The Forest Beneath the Sea", taken from "Blue Miasma".

- - - - - -

~ CARPATHIAN FOREST To Return To Studio Next Week ~

Norwegian black metallers CARPATHIAN FOREST are scheduled to return to the studio next week to resume recording their new album, "Fuck You All!", for a May release via Season of Mist. The band is also working out the details of the second and third parts of their "Art of Provocation" world tour. The second part will most likely cover South America while the third part will include Eastern Europe. A U.S. trek is also in the works.

- - - - - -

~ WINDIR: 'Sognametal' DVD Delayed ~

Defunct Norwegian black metallers WINDIR have pushed back the projected release date of their posthumous DVD, "Sognametal", to April/May from the previously announced February. The delay is being attributed to "technical problems with the printing" of the DVD, according to a posting on the group's web site.

The "Sognametal" DVD features the complete WINDIR concert from September 3, 2004. The show, which was staged as a tribute to WINDIR frontman and founder Valfar (who died in January 2004), featured WINDIR guitarist Sture on most of the vocals, as well as guest vocals by Cosmocrator (MINDGRINDER) and Valfar's brother Vegard. Also included on the DVD are WINDIR live clips from Gaupne (1996), Sogndal (2001 and 2002) and the Inferno Festival in Oslo 2002, plus backstage material, an interview with Valfar from Norwegian national TV, and a photo gallery. VREID guitarist Ese produced the DVD at Hváll's Studio 1184 last fall.

- - - - - -

~ SERPENT LIGHT To Record Demo In Czech Republic ~

SERPENT LIGHT, the new "progressive black/power metal" band featuring Swedish guitarist Mika (Sadist) Leppänen (also in NIFELHEIM) and American metal vocalist Sheena Khan, will record a three-song demo at Studio Shaark in the Czech Republic. The demo songtitles are as follows:

01. The Flame

02. Rising

03. In Darkness

A late spring/early summer release is expected. SERPENT LIGHT's current lineup is completed by Daniel Eriksson (bass) and David Flood (drums).

- - - - - -

~ IMPALED To Guest On 107.7 THE BONE's 'Metal Zone' ~

Oakland's IMPALED will be on 107.7 The Bone's "Metal Zone" with Billy Steel on Friday night, March 4 between 9:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. (midnight) to talk about their new album, new label, and "their plans to kill themselves sometime in the near future in a public place," according to an official press release. You can listen to the broadcast live here: http://www.1077thebone.com/listenlive.html

Commenting on their upcoming radio appearance, vocalist/guitarist Sean McGrath said, "Who would have thought that in seven short years I would go from shining shoes outside this radio station for nickels, to owning my own chain of them and forcing the DJs to broadcast my music round the clock? God bless America. Remember to tune in Friday and listen to our vaudeville-esque antics and buffoonery. Maybe we'll mention your name!"

IMPALED's third full-length album and Century Media debut, "Death After Life", will be released on March 8. The follow-up to 2002's "Mondo Medicale", "Death After Life" (view cover here) was recorded by Billy Anderson (CATHEDRAL, MR. BUNGLE, L7, SLEEP), Trey Spruance (MR. BUNGLE, SECRET CHIEFS 3), and Randall "One Dollar Bob" Dunn at Take Root Studios in San Francisco and was produced by Spruance.

- - - - - -

~ KULT OV AZAZEL Finish Recording New Album ~

Floridian black metallers KULT OV AZAZEL have finished recording their new album, "The World, The Flesh & The Devil", at Mana studio in Tampa, FL for a May release.

KULT OV AZAZEL recently announced the departure of guitarist/backing vocalist Nocturath due to "personal obligations." His replacement in the group is VJS from DEMONCY and INCURSUS. VJS' first recorded appearances with the band will be the split releases with VROLOK and HORN OF VALERE.

- - - - - -

~ MINDGRINDER Part Ways With Drummer, Announce Replacement ~

Norwegian extreme metal band MINDGRINDER, featuring ex-SOURCE OF TIDE drummer/keyboardist Cosmocrator (on bass/vocals), have parted ways with drummer Dan. "His leaving has a mutual understanding within the band and is from the given circumstances the best solution for MINDGRINDER," reads a posting on the group's web site. "At the same time we are proud to welcome Nex (EVILIZER, ex-DISIPLIN) on board the MG-tank as a new permanent batterist! Catch MINDGRINDER, RED HARVEST and ZYKLON live at Kroa i Bø, Telemark, Norway the 5th of March!!"

As previously reported, MINDGRINDER recently completed work on their sophomore album, "Riot Detonator", at Akkerhaugen Lydstudio (EMPEROR, ZYKLON, WINDIR ), tentatively due this spring via Nocturnal Art Productions. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "The Rebellion", "Concept of Honesty", "Obligation to Prevail" and "Warhead". A video for the song "Pathetic Submission" was filmed last month.

Commented Cosmocrator: "The material is extreme, brutal and intense, based on the strongest material from the first album, but taking it even further in all ways. The expression is way more dynamic, raw and complete this time!"

MINDGRINDER issued their debut album, "MindTech", last April through Samoth's Nocturnal Art Productions . The CD was recorded in December 2002 at Akkerhaugen Lydstudio and was originally slated for release through Sound Riot Records - a plan that was eventually abandoned due to the label's "financial problems," according to the group.

- - - - - -

~ DECEIVER To Open For DEVIL LEE ROT In Europe ~

DECEIVER, the Swedish metal band featuring former members of MAZE OF TORMENT and XENOFANES, have been confirmed as the opening act for DEVIL LEE ROT on their European tour beginning in early May. DECEIVER will be touring in support of their upcoming full-length debut, entitled "Riding with the Reaper". The CD will be recorded in March at Abyss studio with producer Tommy Tägtgren for a May release via the newly launched, Gothenburg-based label Iron Fist Productions. A vinyl version will be released at the same time as the CD.

DECEIVER released their self-titled debut mini-CD last summer. The EP, which features five songs recorded at Abyss with Tommy Tägtgren, was previously said to appeal to "fans of old stuff such as MOTÖRHEAD, MERCYFUL FATE, VENOM, METALLICA and JUDAS PRIEST."

- - - - - -

~ GORGOROTH Head To Norwegian Court Over Controversial Polish Gig ~

Norwegian black metallers GORGOROTH will head to Norwegian court (Bergen Tingrett) on March 2 in connection with a February 2004 incident when they were accused of "offending religious feelings" during a concert in Poland. The band were also suspected of breaching the Polish law on protection of animals by displaying the severed and impaled heads of sheep as part of their stage act.

A spokesperson for the public prosecutor in Krakow, southern Poland, said last year that they might ask for Norwegian help in questioning members of GORGOROTH in order to determine whether Article 196 of the Polish penal code (concerning offense to religious feelings) has been breached or not during the band's concert in Krakow on Feb. 1, 2004. The maximum penalty for breaching the article is five years in prison.

The group, who are accused of having offended religious feelings by displaying naked women, covered in blood and being crucified, also displayed sheep heads, severed and impaled, with the stage splashed with their blood.

"We are also looking into whether the law on protection of animals has been breached," the spokesperson, Miroslawa Kalinowska-Zajdak, said last February. Kalinowska-Zajdak said the prosecutor was following up a complaint from the head of a local television station who rented a TV studio to GORGOROTH for the concert, recorded for a DVD. The local television in Krakow, which complained about the performance, had acquired broadcasting rights for the show, Kalinowska-Zajdak said.

- - - - - -

~ AGENT STEEL To Perform Entire 'Skeptics Apocalypse' Album At Germany's KEEP IT TRUE Festival ~

AGENT STEEL will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their classic "Skeptics Apocalypse" LP by performing the album in its entirety at the Keep It True IV Festival on April 2 at Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Koenigshofen, Germany. The complete list of acts currently scheduled to appear at the festival is as follows:

AGENT STEEL

SATAN

COUNT RAVEN

DEADLY BLESSING

MAJESTY

OVERLORDE

TORCH

THUNDERRIDER

PARAGON

VORTEX

INSANE

AGENT STEEL are scheduled to begin recording their new album this spring for a tentative summer release. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Fashioned From Dust", "Though The Heavens Fall", "Wicked Tongue", "Hail To The Chief", "Curse Reborn", "Patriot", "Wash The Planet Clean", "The Machine Will Be Served", "United Mind", and "Liberty Lying Bleeding".